Letters to the editor

Oil shale development

As someone who lives on a multi-generational family farm in eastern Utah, I understand the importance of protecting our water resources and public lands.

Water is the lifeblood of ranching, farming and rural communities in arid Utah, and we count on our public lands in countless ways every day. That's why when it comes to oil shale development in our state it is important that we understand how it would impact our water and natural resources first before allowing it to move forward.

Under the Bureau of Interior's plan, plenty of oil shale resources will continue to be made available for companies to try and figure out how to make it work. Until a viable method is discovered, however, and until the impacts are fully known and addressed, we should not be in the business of leasing our public lands for commercial oil shale development.

Secretary Salazar, who comes from a western, multi-generational ranching and farming family himself, demonstrates that he gets it when it comes to managing our water and public lands.